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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24108448">A Matter of Degrees</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrimsonRae/pseuds/CrimsonRae'>CrimsonRae</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>DC Extended Universe, Man of Steel (2013)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Multi, Other</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 00:47:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,283</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24108448</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrimsonRae/pseuds/CrimsonRae</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Dr. Emil Hamilton had been fascinated by Superman, but not afraid. Five years after his death Clark finds out why.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Clark Kent/Lois Lane, Clark Kent/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>A/N: So I happened to catch Man of Steel the other day and this storyline popped into my head. It starts with Man of Steel, but will actually take place after the events of Justice League. Please read, comment, enjoy. I welcome any and all critiques and thoughts.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Somewhere in the California Desert</strong>
</p><p>He wanted to laugh.</p><p>It was an inappropriate reaction to the situation at hand, Emil knew this intrinsically, but he still wanted to laugh... mostly in disbelief. He had just watched as an alien and a human were taken hostage - as a Kryptonian spacecraft disappeared back into the sky. More than that, he had watched it happen with an entire platoon of U.S. military personnel. To say that the last few days had been surreal would really just be an understatement of biblical proportions.</p><p>He wasn't unaccustomed to weird situations, by any means, but his threshold had definitely just found a new level.</p><p>He snorted quietly to himself and focused on the hilarity bubbling in his gut, knowing that if he didn't the panic that lurked beneath would take over. Some part of him was terrified that this whole thing wasn't going to work, that handing over Kal-El – Superman- whatever-his damn-name-was and Ms. Lane was a giant mistake and he felt sick that he had just stood there and let it happen.</p><p>"Dr. Hamilton?"</p><p>What if General Zon annihilated the Earth anyway? Did he really have what he wanted?</p><p>"Dr. Hamilton, sir?"</p><p>Emil blinked as a hand grasped his shoulder and began to push him toward a waiting caravan. All around him the soldiers had begun to disperse, following new orders he assumed. General Swanwick ducked his head down and continued to prod the shorter man forward as he spoke hurriedly, "There's nothing for us to do here. We'll get you back to base to monitor the situation...with any luck, this General Zod will head back to whatever Godforsaken planet he came from."</p><p>"You really think that's what's gonna happen?" Emil questioned cynically. He wasn't really expecting a response as he clambered into a Humvee and pulled his phone from his pocket.</p><p>"I can only hope." The general murmured quietly before disappearing from the scientist's side.</p><p>Emil shook his head and dialed a number he knew by heart. He barely noticed when the car lurched forward as he listened to a familiar ring, he had the sinking feeling he would get her voicemail, but that was okay. Another moment past before he heard her voice.</p><p>
  <em>Hi, you've reached Rebecca Hamilton. Leave a message and I'll get back to you when I have a free moment.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Beep.</em>
</p><p>Abrupt. To the point...yeah, that was his little girl. He smiled faintly, "Hey kiddo, it's been a few days since I've talked to you. I know it's probably nighttime where you're at right now, but I just... I just wanted to talk to you. You wouldn't believe the things I've seen lately or maybe you would. I met a young man that reminded me of you. Well, a young man and a reporter actually...it's a long story. I just want you to know, honey, that I love you and I'm proud of you. Give your old man a call when you get a chance, huh?"</p><p>He ended the call and tried not to frown sullenly as he turned his gaze to the passing scenery. The sergeant driving the Humvee shot him a side glance as he curiously asked, "Daughter?"</p><p>Emil jerked slightly, not expecting to be pulled from his thoughts as he glanced briefly at his phone, "Yeah...yeah, she um she's working somewhere in Southern Asia right now. Couldn't pronounce the name of the village even if I wanted to."</p><p>The sergeant nodded politely, "She a scientist like you?"</p><p>Emil huffed a small laugh, "No... no, she's a freelancer. One day she'll be a tour guide for some cruise-line, the next she's trekking through a jungle as a research assistant. She has this blog about her travels, it seems to keep her fed."</p><p>The sergeant raised a brow, "That's exciting...and worrying, I bet, for a father."</p><p>"Like you wouldn't believe." The doctor muttered ruefully, "She's always had my curiosity, but sometimes I wish she had gotten her mother's instead. Andrea was more inclined to sate her curiosity with books in a library. I was always the one that needed to be on-site somewhere. Becky got that from me and I'm sure somewhere Andi's laughing at the many heart attacks that our daughter has given me as a result."</p><p>The sergeant chuckled quietly as he navigated them through the base's gates, "I think that's just a child's prerogative, Dr. Hamilton."</p><p>"You're probably right." Emil agreed warmly as he thought of his daughter, he could practically see her mischievous smirk, "You have kids?"</p><p>"Two. A boy and a girl." The sergeant answered with a proud grin, "My girl just turned six and she bullies her big brother something awful.</p><p>He pulled up before a plain stucco building and slid a photo from his inside pocket to hand to Emil.</p><p>"Old school. I like it." The sides were crinkled, but it was a photo that probably went everywhere with the man. Two cherubic faces peered back at him and Emil smiled, "They're beautiful."</p><p>He clicked the side button of his phone to show the sergeant the photo acting as his wallpaper. It was him and Rebecca before she had disappeared off for lands unknown again. She had wrapped an arm around his neck as she made him take a selfie with her. It had been a good day.</p><p>"I break my phone on a regular basis. Photo's easier to keep around." The sergeant explained as he took Emil's phone and raised a brow, "You guys must be close."</p><p>Emil shrugged as they swapped back, "It's just been the two of us for a long time. She's my world, even when she's on the other side of it."</p><p>He slid his phone back into his pocket as he pushed the car door open and stepped outside. He leaned back in and offered his hand, "Thanks for the ride Sergeant...Haskell. It's been nice chatting with you."</p><p>"Aaron Haskell, sir. And you as well." Haskell replied taking the offered hand.</p><p>Their conversation was mundane at best, but Emil recognized it for what it was- a brief distraction from the horror the world had become in the past forty-eight hours. That there is still a possibility of there being no tomorrow. The two parted ways from there and Emil drifted through the next few hours as he watched the screen in the situation room. General Zod was still hovering outside Earth with no word from either Ms. Lane or Superman.</p><p>It was just as a faint buzzing vibrated through his pocket that movement was detected on the screen. Emil bit his lip as his daughter's face flashed across the screen of his phone and he glanced once more at the group of tensely strung soldiers and scientists. They could do without him for a few minutes. If this was the world ending, he was damn well going to talk to his daughter.</p><p>"Hey, kiddo. Give me one second." Emil said hurriedly as he moved for the hall. No one paid him much attention, their eyes still glued to the screen.</p><p>"Hey, Dad." Rebecca said tiredly once he was settled somewhere somewhat privately, "I didn't like that message you left...it sounded too final... too goodbye-ish. You're okay, right?"</p><p>A fond smile crossed his lips, "Yeah, sweetheart, I'm fine. I'm just missing you. I wish you were here. What are you doing up? It must be late there."</p><p>"Super early actually. Are you sure, you're okay? I've seen the news, Dad." He heard her sigh quietly, "Aliens exist – the world may be ending. And I'm guessing that you're probably in the middle of it."</p><p>"You get news in the jungle?"</p><p>"Dad."</p><p>"Becky -" He started calmly, to anyone else they would have heard a weary, but confident young woman, but he heard the fear, the worry in his little girl.</p><p>"Don't tell me, you don't know what's going on, Dad." A dryly amused lilt entered her tone, "You seem to forget I know who you work for and that you have a tendency of leaving classified files on the kitchen table. I know what a big mucky-muck you are over there... Just tell me you're safe, okay?"</p><p>"I'm safe. I promise." He shook his head in exasperation, "I'm surrounded by guys with guns, can't get any safer."</p><p>"Yeah, right." She murmured quietly and he could almost picture her tugging at the necklace she always wore, "I've changed my flight. I'll be home the day after tomorrow."</p><p>"Oh, sweetheart, no. You were supposed to be in Nakhomi Ticakwok for another month. Don't cut your trip short, this is nothing." He cringed both relieved that she was coming home, but hating what was bringing her back enough to protest.</p><p>"Oh God, Dad, you weren't even a little bit close. Just say Malaysia, it'll keep you out of trouble." She muttered as she stifled a laugh, "And if it's nothing, then Malaysia isn't going anywhere. I can always come back."</p><p>"Becky..." He sighed.</p><p>She huffed on the other end, sounding for a moment just like her mother, "You know I hate it when you call me that."</p><p>Emil rolled his eyes, "You know, there was a time you hated being called Rebecca."</p><p>"That's because it usually meant I was in trouble, but I'm not a little girl anymore, Dad. Becky is a name for a little girl with pigtails and the tendency of being covered in dirt."</p><p>"Yeah well, you're my little girl, no matter how old you get and I bet you all the money in my wallet that you have your hair in braided pigtails right now and are covered in dirt."</p><p>Emil grinned at the stymied silence from the other end of the line. She was probably checking herself over, but he knew his daughter.</p><p>"...It's not dirt, it's clay." She stated defiantly and he snorted.</p><p>"Twenty-seven years old and still a walking tornado." He murmured affectionally, "Don't you ever change, kiddo."</p><p>"Yeah, yeah." She muttered quietly, "Tell me about this guy you mentioned in your message. You said he reminded you of me."</p><p>Emil swallowed a sigh as he looked up and down the hallway to make sure no one was listening to him. Even still, he cordoned himself into a small side office, "He's... special, honey. Kinda like you. He can do things that quite frankly are astounding."</p><p>"Ah, you mean he's a freak like me."</p><p>"You're not a freak." Emil rebuked tiredly, "Being different, doesn't make you a freak."</p><p>"Hmm."</p><p>He knew the apathetic grunt was her placation for him, but it set his teeth on edge, "You're not a freak."</p><p>"Dad, just move on." Rebecca murmured quietly, it was an argument and an old one.</p><p>This time he let the sigh come, "He's strong and he was putting on this determined front for me and the General, but I could see he was worried, scared. All I wanted to do was tell him it was going to be okay, but I couldn't. Made me think of you. How brave you are, how strong..."</p><p>There was a moment of silence and then she asked, "Was this the alien? Did you guys find him?"</p><p>"Becky -"</p><p>"You did." She breathed, "Holy shit... Dad, do you think my abilities are-"</p><p>"You're human, Rebecca Josephina. I watched your mother give birth to you and there is no doubt that I'm your father, so don't even go there."</p><p>"Oh, the full name. Haven't gotten that in a while."</p><p>Emil rolled his eyes, "Oh kid, you're gonna be the death of me."</p><p>She snickered lightly before asking quite solemnly, "How'd you know he was scared?"</p><p>"Father's instinct." He murmured just as the door to the office swung open.</p><p>A bright-eyed tech peered at him worriedly, "Dr. Hamilton. You're needed in the sit -room."</p><p>Emil nodded and watched the tech run off as he sighed again, "Listen, honey, I have to go, but I'm glad I got to talk to you today."</p><p>"Me too."</p><p>"I love you so much, kid."</p><p>"I love you too. Dad, be safe please." Her voice sounded so small, despite the steadiness of it and he frowned.</p><p>"That goes both ways. I'll talk at ya later." Emil stated softly as he listened to her parting and quickly end the call.</p><p>It wasn't until hours later when Emil was aboard the C-17 and his fingers were reaching to push down the key that he thought back to his daughter. To the last words of their call. He prayed that this hairbrained scheme worked and it would save the world and his little girl, because it sure as hell wasn't going to save him.</p><p>
  <em>Goodbye, kiddo.</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="xcontrast">
  <p></p>
  <div>
    <p></p>
    <div>
      <p>
        <strong>Chapter Two</strong>
      </p>
      <p>
        <strong>Metropolis</strong>
      </p>
      <p>Lois sighed as she finished the last paragraph of her report on the new Senate nominee. As far as reports go, this one was pretty bland and even she could admit that it lacked a certain...spark. Her usual wit was failing her and she only could thank God that the article wasn't needed for another two days, it would give her time to scratch and polish.</p>
      <p>Scratch and polish.</p>
      <p>She snorted quietly to herself and shook her head.</p>
      <p>She couldn't remember the last time she had been ahead on her articles, had time to do more than a quick polish before handing it over to an associate editor for a good scratching and polishing. Addie was probably going to die of shock when she noticed how error-free all of her work had become... Or maybe not.</p>
      <p>The overly pregnant editor had been taking on lighter loads of work as she moved closer to her maternity leave and had bullied almost every reporter in the building into proofreading their own work three times before submitting it to lessen her stress. Lois had been one of the last to conform to Addie's authoritarian rule – not because she didn't want to lighten the woman's load, but because she usually didn't have the time to be that editorial thorough. Perry was good at keeping her busy, knowing that she could handle more than one assignment if she didn't have a big story brewing. She would have been amazed that she had the time now, but she had noticed he had been handing her less and less.</p>
      <p>Her stomach twisted sourly at the thought.</p>
      <p>Louis had to fight to not look in the direction of Perry's office or toward the desk of a certain tall undercover superhero. Not that it mattered... he wouldn't be there. She hadn't missed the concerned glances from the staff and the undercurrent of worry that touched Perry's tone whenever they talked lately. The office knew something was up with her and Clark... they just weren't sure what.</p>
      <p>A good portion of the office had been at his funeral and they had seen firsthand how close she was to the Kent family. To say that everyone had been shocked by Clark's return from the dead was something of an understatement. It had been an open casket funeral after all. Surprisingly, it had been Perry that had weaved the lie that allowed Clark to come back after Lois had revealed who Clark really was to him. His star reporter had fallen afoul of the criminal element while investigating another award-winning story. The destruction from Doomsday had created a golden opportunity for the Feds to fake Clark's death until those responsible for the threat against him were apprehended.</p>
      <p>Somehow, Clark had produced a story from that packet of bullshit and that seemed to quiet most of the reporters at the Planet. The rest still asking questions were the ones that dealt with the typical page six news. They wanted the gossip.</p>
      <p>
        <em>How long had she and Clark been an item?</em>
      </p>
      <p>
        <em>Had she been aware that he had faked his death?</em>
      </p>
      <p>
        <em>She had been so distraught at the funeral, surely, she hadn't known – she must be furious.</em>
      </p>
      <p>
        <em>Is that why they barely seemed to be talking? The tension could be cut with a knife.</em>
      </p>
      <p>If anything, those particular encounters had solidified Lois's empathy for people who had a distaste for reporters. She had told Victoria to mind her own damn business and to go chase after Bruce Wayne more times than she could count at this point. Still, she would rather have the gossip columnist's attention on her than on Clark.</p>
      <p>Clark.</p>
      <p>Again, she had to fight from glancing towards his empty desk. She had to fight the sharp pang that filled her chest at the thought of him. She wasn't sure if it was better or worse that he was away on assignment.</p>
      <p>It had taken Lois months to admit that the man she had fallen in love with was gone... and she didn't mean dead. The relief, the joy that had overwhelmed her when the Justice League had brought Clark back had made her blind to the pain that encompassed him. She should have realized that coming back to life would be a traumatic experience, that there would be repercussions... She had just been so happy to have his gentle gaze and shy smile again... and he was <em>Superman</em>. She didn't think that he would be affected by everything so drastically. It was a stupid assumption. Clark wasn't impervious to the world, to emotion, if anything he felt it more than any ten people combined.</p>
      <p>It took her two months to notice the nightmares. He stopped sleeping all together after she confronted him about it. She wished she hadn't said anything, because she was rather sure that the lack of sleep was what spurned the flashes of temper he had become prone to.</p>
      <p>Nothing big.</p>
      <p>Nothing violent.</p>
      <p>At least not overtly.</p>
      <p>It was little things, like his cell phone needed to be replaced on an almost constant basis. She had found it crushed to bits on more than one occasion. It was reports of restrained criminals packaged nicely for the police having to be carted to the hospital because their binds had been tethered a little too tight. There was a car thief that had limited use of the fingers in his right hand from a lack of blood circulation.</p>
      <p>And she couldn't get him to talk about it. Whatever he was thinking, whatever he was feeling – she was sure it had to do with whatever he had experienced while he had been dead. But he had shut her out. Clark refused to talk to her. At first, he had smiled and reassured her that everything was fine that he was still sorting himself out. Lois couldn't pinpoint the exact moment she stopped believing that smile, but she had watched it become more brittle the more she pushed. He withdrew from her. And their relationship became something she couldn't recognize as a relationship.</p>
      <p>She felt like a lighthouse on a dark foggy night, but the ship she was guiding was heading for the rocks anyway.</p>
      <p>It took her ten months before she gave up and returned her engagement ring.</p>
      <p>Eleven before he finished moving out of her apartment.</p>
      <p>They were now on the official one-year anniversary of his return and he wasn't even here.</p>
      <p>Lois swallowed against the sudden constriction of her throat. She wished Clark was here if only to reassure herself that he was at the very least physically okay, even if he wasn't mentally – emotionally. She missed him and it hurt.</p>
      <p>It had hurt for a while now.</p>
      <p>She sighed and sent her article to Addie. She would be taking the rest of the day off.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>
        <strong>Russia</strong>
      </p>
      <p>It was ridiculously cold.</p>
      <p>Rebecca clenched and unclenched her fists in her pocket in an unconscious attempt to keep her fingers from going numb. Even while sporting a fur-lined coat and gloves that would put a clown's to shame the icy chill of Moscow's winter still penetrated enough to lick at her skin. She usually didn't mind the cold, her body ran a little warmer than most peoples, but today that chill seemed to have a bite. She wondered distantly if she was getting sick... She hadn't thought she could anymore.</p>
      <p>"You were just supposed to get pictures."</p>
      <p>The reprimand was clear, the Slavic intonation making its owner's annoyance all the more apparent. Rebecca didn't move her eyes from the group of children receiving medical care not one-hundred feet from her, "Anatoli, tell me what would have happened if I had just taken pictures?"</p>
      <p>Chocolate eyes softened as they studied the young woman before him. She had tucked her dark hair into a loose braid, her grey scarf musing the strands lose. She should be wearing a hat, he thought gruffly, but didn't say as such – she looked tired. He tried to remember if he had ever seen her smile, "You would not be leaving Moscow."</p>
      <p>"And those children?"</p>
      <p>Anatoli sighed, "Would be someplace else."</p>
      <p>Her eyes blue, almost violet in color flashed as she looked balefully at him, "Starved, scared, orphaned. How much would they fetch to the right buyers, Anatoli? Someplace else... you don't need to sugar coat things with me. I know what that someplace else would be for these children. Still could be."</p>
      <p>"They will be safe, my friend. I will find them good homes, I promise." He briefly spared the small group a glance, "You were reckless."</p>
      <p>"No one saw." Rebecca whispered and pulled her gaze away when a small boy began to watch her curiously.</p>
      <p>Anatoli snorted, "There was lightening. It was so bright and it made the truck stop. The mean man wouldn't move after it flashed... Don't tell me no one saw. I have ten little somethings that saw and in today's world such accounts would not be taken as a child's imagination."</p>
      <p>Rebecca sighed, not wanting to admit he was right. She used to long for the day where people who were different, special, could be acknowledged, and with the appearance and resurrection of Superman, the arrival of the Flash, and Aquaman, Batman, Wonder Woman said people seemed to be coming out of the woodwork. In many places, even accepted for their differences, but there were more still where such uniqueness was seen as dangerous or worse valuable.</p>
      <p>In the last half-decade, Rebecca wasn't sure how many suspicious labs she had stumbled upon.</p>
      <p>Let's see what makes the freaks tick, she thought bitterly. Her fingers flexing as if she was about to discover she was in one such lab.</p>
      <p>This time it wasn't a lab she stumbled upon, but it was something dark enough to make her stomach twist in knots. She still wasn't fully certain what had made her detour from the main city to the more industrialized sections. She felt like she had been called – like some sort of invisible tether had pulled her to the warehouse that had held the kids. It didn't take much to recognize the Bratva guard outside...they crawled all over the city. It took even less to deduce the children's purpose once she realized they resided inside. There had been no signs of the usual strangeness that seemed to attract her into these situations. No odd flares of light or smoke, no hum of different in the air. Just a feeling to come.</p>
      <p>No. These children were normal, if not traumatized, and she hadn't been about to watch them be sold to whatever sexual sadist that lurked out there.</p>
      <p>So yes, she had acted. She didn't regret it.</p>
      <p>Except for the pair of icy eyes that watched her from the back of an ambulance. The little towheaded boy that hadn't taken his eyes off of her since being pulled from the truck. Rebecca had noticed he said less than the others – more observant, shy, wary. She was rather sure that little boy was the reason she had found them all. He certainly hadn't been surprised by her sudden appearance.</p>
      <p>She pursed her lips as she studied him. There were no indications that he was <em>other</em> like her... nothing obvious anyway. She just had a feeling. A feeling not too dissimilar to what had led her here.</p>
      <p>She held in a sigh, "Have the boy go to Marvin."</p>
      <p>Anatoli raised a brow and followed her gaze to the ambulance, "He's like us?"</p>
      <p>She nodded, despite the fact that she wasn't fully sure, but her gut rarely led her wrong. She cut her violet gaze back to the bear of a man next to her. A small stirring of guilt pulled at her and she smiled sadly, "I didn't mean to make trouble for you, Anatoli."</p>
      <p>Moscow was Anatoli's home and he needed anonymity to help people, people who were different, find safe havens. She feared she had just shown a spotlight on his presence.</p>
      <p>The older man snorted, an amused twinkle entered his chocolate eyes, "Agh, you come to visit, I know to expect some excitement. You lasted longer than I thought. I owe Marvin money now."</p>
      <p>Rebecca rolled her eyes, "You two need a hobby."</p>
      <p>"Who has time for hobbies?" Anatoli grunted before nudging her towards his car. He had packed her belongings in the back and made sure to have new travel papers for her. She needed to leave, now, before the Bratva came to inquire about her, "Take the car. Don't call me until your safe."</p>
      <p>Reluctantly, she nodded. She hated to leave, she felt like she had left things half done, but she understood the immediacy of her departure. She climbed slowly behind the wheel and found the keys still in the ignition. Anatoli cast her a brief wave and her lips twitched in a subdued smile.</p>
      <p>He was in her rearview in moments and her phone was out and on speaker seconds after that. She listened to the dull ringing for a dull moment before the connection came thru, "<em>Hamilton, this you?"</em></p>
      <p>"Hey, Sporty." She intoned quietly, "My trip to Russian's been cut short and it looks like I'll be stateside for a bit... was wondering if you had any work for me?"</p>
      <p>There was a brief pause and the clinking of glass trickled over the line. She must have interrupted his lunch,<em> "I don't have anything for you in Gotham. It's actually quiet here for once, but hold on. I'm having lunch with a friend from another paper, let me ask him if he's got anything."</em></p>
      <p>Things went quiet before strains of muffled voices filtered to her. She raised a brow as she realized that Sporty had merely put his hand over the receiver. She wondered if he knew how to work the mute button. Abruptly sound rushed back as a smooth baritone greeted her ears, <em>"Ms. Hamilton?"</em></p>
      <p>"Speaking."</p>
      <p>
        <em>"This is Perry White from the Daily Planet. Sporty tells me that you're a writer – a good one."</em>
      </p>
      <p>Rebecca felt her brow arch higher, "Is there a question in there, Mr. White?"</p>
      <p>
        <em>"Yeah, why haven't I heard of you?"</em>
      </p>
      <p>"I publish under a pseudonym." She replied blandly, "Rachel Wisen."</p>
      <p>There was a long silence and she could almost hear the dots connecting in this man's mind, <em>"The travel blogger?"</em></p>
      <p>She snorted and felt shades of her father hover around her. How many times had she heard him say those same words, "Yes, Mr. White... the travel blogger."</p>
      <p>
        <em>"Huh...Look, I don't have any reporting positions open, but one of my associate editors is about to go on maternity leave – I was actually thinking of having my travel editor take over her workload. I could use you to take over his position. It'd be a temporary arrangement."</em>
      </p>
      <p>"Daily Planet is in Metropolis, right?" Rebecca asked after a moment. She didn't know why. She knew exactly where the Planet was and that it was a city, she had no desire to visit. Shades of her father indeed.</p>
      <p>
        <em>"That's right."</em>
      </p>
      <p>Yet, she found herself saying, "Temporary sounds perfect, Mr. White. I can be there at the end of the week."</p>
      <p>
        <em>"Good. I'll get your contact info from Sporty and we can finalize the details when I get back to my office. Have a good day, Ms. Hamilton."</em>
      </p>
      <p>"You too -"</p>
      <p>He hung up before she had a chance to finish. Rebecca sighed, remembering vaguely that Sporty was much the same when in business mode. She chalked it up to a newspaper reporter quirk but was thankful for the brevity. It was going to be an interesting few months.</p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
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      <p>
        <strong>Chapter Three</strong>
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      <p>
        <strong>Metropolis</strong>
      </p>
      <p>The city shimmered like a thousand sparkling jewels against the night sky. It reminded Rebecca of an old Hollywood movie – dark silhouettes, bright almost-white lights, a real silver screen picture. Yet, as the cool wind whipped softly at her face, she could only think of how much she would rather be anywhere else...even Moscow's frigid cold.</p>
      <p>Metropolis.</p>
      <p>The Big Apricot.</p>
      <p>Home to the Daily Planet and Superman. A place of action, drama, wonder, and heartache... Too much heartache. A bittersweet pang of grief pulsed through her heart. The last time she had been to Metropolis had been years ago after the city had been attacked by Zod. Buildings laid in ruin with crews sent in to sift through the rubble and to find the remains of loved ones. The city hadn't been a picturesque scene to marvel at then.</p>
      <p>Grief-stricken and enraged she had come; she had wanted to see the place where her father's last moments had occurred. Had even been encouraged by Swanwick to see the unveiling of the memorial... She had lasted three hours in the city before her devastation outweighed her anger and she turned tail and ran. She never saw the memorial – heard it had been rebuilt twice now. For a city so sparkly it invited a good deal of trouble.</p>
      <p>Part of her wondered if Superman was to blame for that or if Metropolis had always been that way. Another part of her wondered if it all really mattered.</p>
      <p>Sighing quietly, she slid onto the ledge of the roof and peered down. Her apartment building was a good fifty stories tall and had a decent view of the bay from the roof, but a morbidly intrigued voice was more interested in the speckled view of the street. Her stomach flipped and danced as her equilibrium tried to make sense of the depth presented to her sight. Adrenaline coursed through her blood like a rabbit in a dog race, demanding that she flee. But she ignored her body's rigorous screams to back away from the ledge – to move to safety. She was too high to survive any fall...and for a second, so brief she would deny it ever occurred, she wondered if that would be so bad.</p>
      <p>What would it be like to just fall? Is that what her father had experienced?</p>
      <p>Dazzled by the notion, she unconsciously leaned a little further out and closed her eyes. She welcomed the strong current of air that pushed at her clothes in silent warning.</p>
      <p>"I don't recommend leaning any further."</p>
      <p>Rebecca started at the unexpected sound of a voice and nearly lost her grip as her eyes flew open, only to fall onto the floating alien before her. His arms were crossed, and head tilted in aloof curiosity as he studied her.</p>
      <p>All she could do was stare. She had seen photos of him and video. She had been aware that he was attractive, pretty almost... but what the photos and videos had failed to convey was his presence. Strength radiated from him like a gravitational pull. It tugged at her power with a whispered seduction and she was tempted to lean out again to welcome its embrace.</p>
      <p>So much power inside one person, she couldn't fathom it.</p>
      <p>And his eyes – incredibly bright and yet dark. Dark in a way she understood all too well.</p>
      <p>After a long moment, she realized she hadn't responded, and that he was waiting for her to settle back to a safe distance, too consumed by the havoc he wreaked on her senses.</p>
      <p>Pursing her lips, she kept still and arched a brow at him as she asked, "Can I help you with something?"</p>
      <p>He blinked, not expecting that to be her response. He wanted to sigh but managed to bite back the urge last minute as he said, "Yes, get off the ledge. You're not in a safe position."</p>
      <p>Aware of her tenuous perch, but uncaring of the danger or of being commanded to do anything about it, Rebecca frowned. "I hardly see how that's your concern."</p>
      <p>Superman returned her frown, "Ma'am -"</p>
      <p>"Ma'am?" She interrupted, somewhat indignant – she wasn't old enough to be considered ma'am.</p>
      <p>Annoyed, he took a steadying breath, "Miss -"</p>
      <p>She scoffed, "No, too late to correct that one. Relax, Flyboy, I have no intention of dying today. Go save the world."</p>
      <p>Despite the nice eye-candy he made, she wanted him gone. Her skin was beginning to buzz and hum in a way it hadn't since she was sixteen. Her stomach lurched with a new dance, one she recognized all too well. She was losing control... and it was his fault – she was sure of it. Agitation clawed maliciously at her, but she kept her expression bland, distant.</p>
      <p>Despite her dismissal, Clark deigned not to take her at her word. His gaze narrowed expectantly, "Get off the roof, please."</p>
      <p>A petulant part of her wanted to stick her tongue out at him and make a sardonic remark, it surprised her – she hadn't felt this vindictively surly since she had been a teenager and her powers had made an appearance. The adult in her argued he would disappear quicker if she just did as she was told. Holding tightly to her dwindling control and fighting the urge to lash out, she briskly threw her leg back onto the roofs flat surface and stood.</p>
      <p>Her expression silently queried if he was happy now and received an unimpressed glower in return. As if he could sense her childish mood, he smirked and asked mockingly, "Now was that so hard?"</p>
      <p>Rebecca gaped slightly, incensed. Before she could form a reply, he was gone - flying off to right some other perceived wrong she was sure, though she swore she heard a faint chuckle in his wake.</p>
      <p>She cursed quietly, "Nosey asshole."</p>
      <p>Her previous desire to ruminate outside had disappeared with his departure. Almost sullenly, she wandered back to her apartment.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>"Hey, Smallville! You're back."</p>
      <p>A faint smirk pulled at Clark's lips as he set his bag on his desk. Lombard was sauntering his way over, a half-eaten bagel, and a cup of coffee in hand. He looked like the cat that ate the canary and for a moment Clark sympathized for the poor intern that had succumbed to the other man's advances.</p>
      <p>"Morning, Lombard." Unconsciously, he went through the movements of starting his computer up, "I miss anything interesting around here."</p>
      <p>The older man shrugged with a shake of the head, "Nah, same shit different day, you know? Oh, Lois has been running interference with Victoria for you. The woman is like a bloodhound when she smells gossip."</p>
      <p>Clark nearly rolled his eyes as he thought of the leggy blonde. Beautiful and vicious were two very accurate adjectives to describe Victoria Vale. He rather wished that Perry hadn't poached her from the Gotham Gazette and fully blamed Bruce for her willingness to depart their sister city. He could only imagine the hassle that she had been giving Lois if she was still asking questions over their breakup.</p>
      <p>A stream of guilt curdled in his veins as he glanced toward her desk. He had been away longer than he intended, but he hadn't been able to stomach being in the same place as her without wanting to... God, he didn't know. Scream? Beg? Apologize?</p>
      <p>All he knew was that the day he had gotten the last of his things from her apartment he had been in a world of pain. He was practically choking on his hurt and he knew he couldn't heal if he saw her day after day. So, like a coward he ran, took the first story that would take him out of the city, and didn't look back. The whole thing had been eerily like what he had done after his dad had died. It was that particular realization that had brought Clark back to Metropolis – to the Planet and Lois.</p>
      <p>He couldn't run forever.</p>
      <p>He shook his head and turned a rueful smile on his colleague, "Thanks for the heads up. I'll have to make that torment up to Lois somehow."</p>
      <p>Lombard shrugged, "I think she enjoyed taking Vale down a peg or two. Man, remind me never to piss Lois off... So, you two are okay?"</p>
      <p>The question seemed innocuous enough, but Clark had learned real quick that Lombard was simply good at seeming guileless. There was a shark under his friendly demeanor that devoured any and all information.</p>
      <p>He arched a pointedly amused brow at the other man as he replied, "We're fine, Vale. Thanks."</p>
      <p>Lombard squawked indignantly with a coffee laden hand over his heart, "Mean, Smallville. That's just mean."</p>
      <p>Clark chuckled as he eyed Steve's coffee with a thoughtful frown. A pick-me-up sounded good. Sleeping was another obstacle he was trying to work through... He was about to excuse himself to the break room when a familiar voice caught his attention and he found himself staring into a pair of blue eyes that haunted him.</p>
      <p>Lois faltered in her steps at the sight of him, a smile too sad for words touching her lips. And like a snoozed alarm, he felt all the hurt come roaring back. His heart clenched so painfully that he wished it were gone as he stared at her.</p>
      <p>He had come back too soon.</p>
      <p>He wasn't ready.</p>
      <p>Clark wasn't sure if she had sensed the distraught welling in him or if she was struggling as badly as he was, but in the next moment, she turned for the copy-room. He bit back a heavy sigh as he watched her go, feeling the chasm in his chest grow.</p>
      <p>"Yeah... you two are not fine." Lombard murmured as he watched the interplay quietly. Awkward sympathy poured through him, but he stuffed it back with a bite of his bagel, "Have fun with that."</p>
      <p>Clark grimaced but didn't comment. His personal life hardly needed a sideshow. Lombard nudged his shoulder to show his commiseration before wandering off to his desk. It was then Clark knew that it was going to be a long day.</p>
      <p>Forgetting about his caffeine desires for a moment, he threw himself back into his chair and began to scroll through his emails. Anything to distract him from the quiet sniffles he could hear from the copy-room. He wished he couldn't entreat on what she desired to keep private.</p>
      <p>As if someone heard his quiet plea, another presence soon absorbed all his attention.</p>
      <p>The door to Perry's office swung open and the air crackled with suppressed energy. It felt all too similar to a brewing storm and Clark half-expected to see clouds pour from the open door. Oddly, no one else appeared to have noticed this shift and he frowned.</p>
      <p>He had felt this sensation last night, as well.</p>
      <p>With not a cloud in the sky to denote a coming storm, he had given in to his impulses and chased the strange crackling to the woman on the ledge before it vanished. At the time he had been mildly grateful for following his instincts, sure that he had been about to witness a suicide attempt. Her cavalier attitude and indifference, if not distaste, for his interruption almost made him reconsider his first notion...almost.</p>
      <p>There had been something about her...something in her almost violet eyes that simply ached. It had called to him, dared him to recognize the fatalistic gleam that so mirrored his own at times. The entire encounter had been bizarre and had left him baffled and if it hadn't been for the screams of another he likely would have stayed.</p>
      <p>Hell, he had been tempted to turn back as her parting retort reached his ears. She really had no idea how nosey an asshole he could be.</p>
      <p>Spellbound, Clark leaned back in his chair and kept his gaze locked on Perry's office. Somehow, he was unsurprised when he saw her step out. A faint smile played on her lips that brightened her entire visage. Her appearance was incredibly different from the night prior. Gone was the impervious roof-spectre and in her place stood a polished professional.</p>
      <p>Perry appeared over her shoulder speaking quietly, but Clark heard it all.</p>
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        <em>"Sporty called you a menace."</em>
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        <em>She laughed a knowing twinkle in her eye, "And yet you still agreed to see me?"</em>
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        <em>"Menace is a high compliment from Sporty. I should know I only ever got a pain-in-the-ass from him." Perry grinned proudly.</em>
      </p>
      <p>Clark frowned as he watched the repartee. The editor and chief could be charming when he wanted to be, though gruff was his default setting. The fond smile that painted the older man's lips bespoke of the pleasantness of the conversation he just had...</p>
      <p>The air crackled again, and this time Clark wasn't the only one to notice. A frown flickered over the strange brunette's face as her gaze began to closely scrutinize her surroundings. His fascination grew as she locked onto him and she stared in what appeared to be recognition.</p>
      <p>A cold stone sank in his stomach, was it possible that she knew who he was? Was their brief encounter last night enough for her? Or had she felt this sensation too?</p>
      <p>Perry drew her attention back, but Clark could see a veil of distractedness had fallen over her. It mattered little as White soon caught wind of his presence in the bullpen.</p>
      <p>The older man's expression was instantly scowling, but Clark didn't miss the levy of concern that swarmed the editor's eyes. If anyone in this building had the foggiest clue of what had been going on between him and Lois it would be Perry White.</p>
      <p>"Finally made it back in one piece, Kent." Perry growled out, "About time."</p>
      <p>Clark forced a faint smile, "Couldn't stay away from your smiling face, Boss."</p>
      <p>Perry scoffed and rolled his eyes, "You're lucky I like you. Let me introduce you to our new associate editor, Rebecca Hamilton. She'll be taking over for Greg while Addie's on maternity leave. Rebecca this is Clark Kent, one of our reporters you'll be tearing apart."</p>
      <p>She didn't step forward to greet him, only nodded with a demure smile. He was forced to do the same. Absently, he noted that the crackling had stopped upon her approach, but now she seemed...leery.</p>
      <p>Pushing his musings to the back of his mind, Clark turned his attention to Perry again, "Is Addie out already? I wanted to see her before she left."</p>
      <p>"No, she has a couple more weeks. I want Rebecca to get trained up on the chaos before kicking her to the wolves." He answered as he sent her a sly grin.</p>
      <p>Surprisingly, she rolled her eyes but refrained from comment again.</p>
      <p>Clark smirked, "Well she'll find out what nosey assholes we all are, anyway."</p>
      <p>That comment pulled a surprised chuckle from White, but it was Rebecca's reaction that he was interested in. She stilled, her expression betraying nothing... in much the same way it had when he had startled her on the ledge. Her control was impressive.</p>
      <p>Yet, her violet eyes flickered up and he knew...</p>
      <p>Stunned disbelief shined at him despite her bland expression. If she hadn't recognized him before, she certainly had now.</p>
      <p>Clark wasn't entirely sure what he was supposed to do. Whether she realized it or not, Rebecca Hamilton had just made a new friend.</p>
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